This invention is considered to be a special computer application of a new field wherein two or more distinct and separate computer environments can exist on a single video monitor screen performing usual tasks including video conferencing. This invention can encompass more than two separate environments and can be utilized with more than one video monitor to ease the visual separation of such multiple applications in the video monitor screens. These extended applications of separate environments and functions would be based on a single computer system with usual configuration and software. As this is a new field, no classification exists with the usual prior patents and experience.
One object of the invention is to perform video conferencing without overlaying the existing environment, but perform in a separate environment that will allow normal and usual use of the computer while video conferencing. The result of this new application is to offer separate and distinct computer environments in which each can perform all usual tasks and which can be expanded to other computer sites as well in a system for video conferencing or other tasks.
The increase in benefits and functions of the modern computer has been continuous and expanding over recent years, and the advent of video conferencing as discussed herein has further expanded this horizon and function. Improvements in computer technology have been dramatic and rapid with regard to the benefits to the user. As the mechanical speed and scope of the computer have increased, so have functions and services, such as video conferencing, increased. It seems now common that computers are connected to telephone lines which expand outside services such as the InterNet and xe2x80x9ce-mailxe2x80x9d to these machines.
The standard and usual functions and services for computers has been in a single environment which has developed into a variety of functions and currently enhanced through the windows applications. From the basic DOS language there have been many upgrades which have diversified the services for the user and have made the computer easier and faster to use. The upgrade applications include word processing, recordskeepping, accounting, office services, inventories, labels and shipping, as well as banking, payments, and even personal services in a variety of commercially supplied applications. The variety and the competition for these programs has developed into different competing systems using the single monitor screen, and several environments have been built up to serve this single stand alone monitor with some beneficial and some confusing results. In some situations an upgraded DOS program can exist in one environment and yet, divide the monitor screen with an environment using O/S-2, the IBM language in another program.
The convenience offered by the windows programs has proven invaluable to the average user and to users such as airlines and travel agents which benefit from similtaneous multiple interactions showing activities of flight schedules, prices, itineraries, routes, and even hotels and auto rentals to book while on the single screen environment. Windows systems prove equally valuable with program managers, help and instructions, and separate independent work functions that can be drawn up to view in a window. The modern computer system has many upgrades in programs and operating systems that offer a vast array of choices and activities that all function in the single stand alone monitor.
One of these choices is in video conferencing in a single environment wherein a xe2x80x9cwindowxe2x80x9d is set aside in a corner or margin that shows the image seen by the small video camera located upon a monitor. This image can be from your site, or from other remote sites anywhere in the world, that have similar video camera capability. To be active in the teleconferencing your image returns to these remote sites when you speak. Although the demands on computer memory and function are high, the acceptance and use of video teleconferencing is increasing.
Since this invention is in a new field of technology which has not previously existed, the development of prior patent experience can cite only examples of patents based upon related fields and the patents that build and serve the development of this technology.
In the basic applications of video conferencing the difficulty of emcompassing several or multiple languages when added onto the single environment such as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,043, Oct. 8, 1996 of Siefert is simplified and managed by my invention. My additional environment has as a configuration manager the ability to pass tables and data values to other application tables and sites involving a similar system as cited through U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,699, Aug. 8, 1995 of Ferrand, et al., yet continuing to provide dependent and subordinate tables and field values that operate independently but maintain data linking.
In video conferencing such as cited in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,662, Jul. 30, 1996 of Adams, et al. my new program has expanded this perspective into an additional environment that receives audio, video, and data streams of information and separates the types of data to the appropriate channels for processing. As seen in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,724, Sep. 17, 1996 of Sampat, et al. wherein the video conferencing will interact and overlay portions of the Windows in the single environment, my invention has a specific application for the video in the additional environment that is separate and yet combines the needed functions. These additional environments can utilize existing data streams and channel products as requisite and as presented by multiple input sources, and combine or unify to interface the controls and functions with a specific integration to a specific program and application. My invention can extend this unique application of an additional environment into multiple additional separate environments and additional video monitors or other visual systems as needed whenever these functions of added environments would be useful and desired. In this multiple configuration many computer tasks can be kept separate and functioning clearly for the user, and yet based upon only one usual computer system and software.
The advantage and convenience of my invention is clear and with the features of the additional environments, and which include the programable single click buttons which can expand the services and functions of computer use. The separated environments allows features as cited in U.S. Pat. No. 5,530,796, Jun. 25, 1996 of Wang to locate and establish a menu bar that utilizes custom applications and task managers to provide the needed adaptive and reliable menuing and tool bar configuration. Following the examples of U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,195, Jun. 4, 1996 of Clanton, III, et al., my environment is able to utilize the animated sprites and the smart agents to provide graphical online help to programs, functions, commands, and operations.
The many advantages of the second and additional environments as developed herein will show features that the computer user will appreciate and value in the clarity of the video, the design as user friendly, the competence of the program, the ability to adapt for the various inputs and computer languages, separate tasks and job functions, even in foreign language applications, and the extension of range and function of the user""s computer.
This invention is in the field of computers wherein we can have two or more separate environments in which the additional environments are activated while the original environment is available for all usual computer tasks. Thus, two or more separate operations can be maintained simultaneously with all the typical tasks available within each of the separate multiple environments. Environment 2 can maintain video teleconferencing in all of its functions while environment 1 can maintain its usual tasks.
This invention can encompass more than two separate environments and can be utilized on more than one video monitor or other visual system to ease the visual separation of such multiple applications. These extended applications of the separate environments and functions would be based on a single computer system with usual configuration and software.
Heretofore all desktop computer systems have been operated by versions of a single operating system such as DOS, Windows, Unix, and Macintosh. The standard operating system as in use today remains as one environment and runs independently without alterations.
This invention is this added environment. The xe2x80x9cVideo Assisted Program Environmentxe2x80x9d becomes the additional independent operating system that then co-exists with environment one already in place and operating in the computer system. This computer operating system now has an additional independent environment that operates simultaneously. This additional environment can extend to become multiple environments which can continue separate functions on a single computer system if requisite.
This invention becomes a xe2x80x9cVideo Assisted Programxe2x80x9d, or VAP as an acronym, as it is the xe2x80x9csoftwarexe2x80x9d instructional program placed in the standard computer that operates the additional environment. This VAP then provides the desktop computer with a multi-tasking, multiple operating system that is supported with commands and functions in both command line code and object code. This VAP system can operate simultaneously while a video conference is in session.
In this independent VAP environment there is no overlay upon a windows operating program as is evident in the standard computer environment. The various display elements that are composed within the VAP environment perform activities and functions that effect other software activities and functions and thus becoming interactive.
Upon execution of computer language code, The VAP program activates and allows seamless integration of single or multiple programs with live video conferencing. In the VAP environment the user may select the appearance of the VAP environment, develop integrated phone dial lists, establish user options, and establish printing at remote computer locations bidirectionally. This invention is fully operational and can manage activities and functions with single click navigation and launching features. The user may select an application with a single button click to launch an activity, or navigate through a multi-vendor list, or navigate a product services list, or select actions and activities from remotely connected computers.
The VAP environment is user friendly and offers a section or headline block for the company or user name and logo identification. The VAP offers customization features for specific requirements in these feature as listed:
1. Controlled applications;
2. Controlled operating systems;
3. A secure program access authorization code;
4. Security of information and data;
5. Multiple site connectivity, local or remote;
6. Mini-applications within a program and extendible to additional video monitors;
7. Fast access to video dialed sites: by printing, by phone, or by alternative satellite link-up;
8. Printer: local, remote, or bidirectional;
9. Smart software agents: their controls and functions.
The benefits of multi-tasking, multi-operating systems and multiple environments supporting video conferencing now become clear to understand when these are installed upon the standard single operating computer environment. Thus in my invention the single computer environment can now be modified to support multiple environments on a single computer system and to include multiple operating systems with their appropriate developed functions and controls, and to display on single or multiple video monitors.
With the utilization of the combined environments the benefits of the multiple operating computer systems will provide the user with a diverse, fully featured, fully operational configuration that expands the computer functions and is user friendly.
The Video Assisted Program Environment allows the computer user in a typical two environment structure to maintain all existing software programs and applications in environment one, and then to configure another operating environment for specialty features and commands of elements and components. Additionally, this dual environment may be extended to more environments, all operating simultaneously. This is a novel and unique invention that can improve and benefit the video teleconferencing technology and give the users functions and services never before available with this technology.
While initiated and implemented as video teleconferencing, this novel invention is by no means limited to this application system as it may be configured and extended for the convenience of the operator to service other normal computer activities. When in the video conferencing system, extension of the multiple functions may be desired for clarity, convenience, flexibility, operations, as the video conferencing remains in place, on line, and watching you and waiting for its xe2x80x9cpromptxe2x80x9d showing that it is active. The desirability of being able to perform other normal computer functions while xe2x80x9cactivelyxe2x80x9d waiting for a video conference prompt is much to be desired. The additional separate environment, or multiple environments, or multiple monitors, or the newer video display systems can be configured with tool bars, tabs, operating buttons, and software for normal uses while waiting xe2x80x9cactivelyxe2x80x9d for your turn on the video conference network which can be in any of the environments selected. This invention serves as a unique means to flexibly extend the operation and use of a standard single computer.